We just killed one of these bans here in Virginia....it's not impossible.
And you are correct, it is a very slippery slope and it NOT about smoking - it's about control.
In Georgia, these bans were being defeated in cities with moderate success. The state ban will likely pass almost unnoticed. The irony is, the newly Republican controlled House will be what passes it. The Democrats in the House rejected the Republican Senate proposal last year. Why, on this particular issue, are the Republicans not able to see that this is an over-reach of government and not good policy?
This morning, CBS Morning Show actually had a fairly good segment on the issue of smoking bans. It covered several important points that the anti-smoke-ban people make on theses thread. Smokers being demonized; its not the government's job to police people from harming themselves with tobacco or alcohol; private business has the right to decide smoking or non smoking in their business; smokers saying that the study on harmful effects of second-hand smoke is invalid/not proven.
How, pray tell???